How to Treat Ascites With Chemotherapy

According to the Medical Dictionary, ascites is a watery fluid containing albumin, glucose, and electrolytes that accumulates in the peritoneal cavity (the space in your abdomen that contains your stomach, liver and intestines) in association with certain diseases, such as liver disease or congestive heart failure. Certain cancers can also cause ascites. The accumulated ascites, also called ascites fluid or ascetic fluid, causes a great deal of discomfort. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy has been used successfully to relieve this discomfort.

Instructions

• 1

  Your doctor will prepare you to receive intraperitoneal chemotherapy by inserting a tube called a catheter into your abdomen through a small hole. Initially the catheter will be used to drain the ascites fluid from your abdomen to relieve the swelling and discomfort.

• 2

  Once the ascites are drained, chemotherapy drugs will be delivered into your abdomen through the catheter. The intraperitoneal chemotherapy destroys the surface of the cancer inside by creating a layer of scar tissue over the cancer deposits. The scar tissue prevents formation of normal fluids and the malignant ascites fluid. Any remaining fluid that has built up in the peritoneal cavity is absorbed into the circulation.

• 3

  Your doctor will give you anti-nausea drugs to combat the stomach upset that may follow you chemotherapy treatments. You will also be given an intravenous (IV) drip solution to flush the chemotherapy out of your system.

• 4

  After your initial intraperitoneal chemotherapy you will probably need one or two more treatments several weeks apart before your ascites is successfully relieved.

• 5

  If you have a tumor and your ascites is a thick fluid, called mucinous ascites, it cannot be drained through the catheter. Your doctor will insert a laparoscopic tube into your abdomen and remove the mucinous tumor manually, a procedure known as debulking. The thick ascites fluid may then be removed using liposuction. Then you will receive intraperitoneal chemotherapy to keep the ascites from coming back.